BTS | Table 1-63: Amtrak On-Time Performance Trends and Hours of Delay by Cause

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Table 1-63: Amtrak On-Time Performance Trends and Hours of Delay by Cause

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	1980	1985	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
On-time performance, total % (weighted)	69	81	76	77	77	72	72	76	71	74	79	79	78
Short distance (<400 miles)	71	82	82	82	82	79	78	81	76	79	81	80	81
Long distance (>=400 miles)	64	78	53	59	61	^a47	49	57	49	53	59	61	56
Hours of delay by cause^a
Amtrak^b	N	N	3,565	5,915	6,433	8,488	8,538	5,527	5,193	5,310	4,796	4,891	20,187
Freight^c	N	N	4,244	7,743	8,229	12,827	14,319	11,224	11,438	12,904	14,202	16,158	33,718
Other^d	N	N	4,316	7,426	8,185	11,675	11,871	8,497	8,425	7,611	8,291	8,203	14,718
Total^e	N	N	12,126	21,084	22,847	32,991	34,729	25,248	25,056	25,825	27,289	29,252	68,623

KEY: N = data do not exist.

^a Beginning in 2000, the significant increase in hours of delay is the result of including the hours of delay from both Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and operations on contract railroads. The data also reflects the addition of several delay categories. Therefore, pre-2000 data may not be comparable to data from 2000 and subsequent years.

^b Amtrak delays include equipment malfunctions, train servicing in stations, and passenger-related delays.

^c Freight delays include maintenance of way/slow orders, freight train interference, and signal delays.

^d Other delays include passenger train interference, waiting for connections, running time, weather-related delays, and miscellaneous.

^e Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

NOTES: All percentages are based on Amtrak's fiscal year (October 1–September 30).

Amtrak trips are considered delayed based on the following chart:

Trip length (miles)	Delayed departure time (minutes)
0-250	10
251-350	15
351-450	20
451-550	25
>551	30

SOURCES:

On-time performance:

1980: Amtrak, National Railroad Passenger Corporation Annual Report (Washington, DC: 1981).

1985–2000: Ibid., Amtrak Annual Report, Statistical Appendix (Washington, DC: Annual issues).

Hours of Delay:

1980: Amtrak, National Railroad Passenger Corporation Annual Report (Washington, DC: 1981).

1985–99: Ibid., Amtrak Annual Report, Statistical Appendix (Washington, DC: Annual issues).

2000: Amtrak, personal communication, Dec. 4, 2001.